


Shadows

by Natterina



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Reunions, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-01
Updated: 2015-10-01
Packaged: 2018-04-24 07:43:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4911085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Natterina/pseuds/Natterina
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Someone lurks in the shadows of the rookery.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shadows

She notices something is off halfway up the steps to the rookery.

A scent lingers faintly in the air, that cold windy smell that permeates clothing and cool skin when one has been travelling outside for far too long. Leliana slows her step slightly, envisioning in her mind a cloaked shadow quickly moving up the stairs.

The door is closed, and the nightingale smirks. First mistake. She never closes the door properly, merely pulls it close enough to the latch to give the appearance of a shut door. It  _could_ have been the wind, admittedly, but after a year at Skyhold that has yet to happen.

But Leliana plays along, aware of the dagger on her hip and the other two hidden in her boots, and walks onto her floor with her eyes sharp and her demeanour relaxed.

Her ravens are silent when she enters –something she would usually attribute to Dorian had it not been for the door- and a single one sitting on the bannister has its eyes fixed in the dark corner of the landing. Leliana does her best not to follow its gaze directly, instead casting a glance at the statue and whispering a small prayer to it.

Aware of the presence in the corner, Leliana keeps her attention on it even as she turns to look at the papers on her table. They have been moved, but it is more the shifting caused by a cloak brushing against them than anyone purposely going through them.

The presence moves, into her periphery but out of her reach, along the bannister as though looking over it and below. She hums to mask the scrape of her dagger unsheathing.

And  _there_ , the air to her left ripples slightly, as though the person in stealth has moved too quickly. It moves closer but backwards, fearful of having been caught. Leliana lets it move closer for another moment, waiting.

It occurs in less than four seconds. It is when the air flickers once more that she strikes, spinning quickly and striking out with her dagger in an arc. She swipes at nothing but air, and when she stabs her arm back sharply her wrist is gripped with a strength she could almost admire.

Mahariel materialises into view as Leliana starts to bare her teeth, and the dagger clatters to the floor. A raven squawks, but Leliana pays it no heed when she feels as though time has stopped.

They stare. It has been too many months since Leliana last saw her, last looked at her sharp defiant face with her winter-cracked lips and the pale vallaslin on her face.

“I just wanted to be sure you were alone.” Mahariel’s voice is low, barely above a whisper, but it is followed by the familiar grin that made Leliana’s heart burst during the blight.

Leliana pulls Mahariel to her desperately, wrapping her arms around her waist to hold her tightly. Mahariel manoeuvres her arms over Leliana’s armour to wrap around her neck, and it is difficult and  _loud_ due to both of their armours but neither cares.

The happiness is palatable: Leliana almost feels her knees buckle at the urge to collapse into her love’s arms, feels the urge to giggle at her deepest wish since the defeat of Corypheus being granted. She does not give in, but pulls back to kiss her love on the cheek and smile sweetly at her.

The smell of the outdoors is all around her now, but Leliana breathes in it with a soft smile knowing it is the scent of her Mahariel. She should have recognised it immediately. If she had, she might not have nearly stabbed her love thinking she was a straggling assassin.

A flicker of worry must pass in her eyes, because Mahariel kicks the dagger away without looking down at it and gently cups Leliana’s face with her steel-covered hands.

“I’ve missed you, vhenan.”

Leliana gives a quiet laugh and holds Mahariel tighter, dipping her head to kiss her firmly on the lips. She feels one of Mahariel’s hands trail to her shoulder and grip it as tightly as she can in her armour, and she smiles into the kiss.

“I’ve missed you too.”


End file.
